Three generations, two villages, one family’s mountain.

Faustine Armand, sales manager of La Maison Pinturault, met me with a smile outside Hôtel Les Peupliers on a lovely afternoon, the kind where the mountains begin to disappear into the clouds and the village turns inward. I instantly could tell that she was the right person to introduce me to a place like this. She’s been working in Courchevel for 14 years, skiing, mountain biking, embedded in the local community long before she joined La Maison a year ago, and I recognized her mountain smile from the ski towns I’ve lived in in Colorado over the last 30 years, warm without being performative, genuinely proud of Le Praz and of the family whose story she was about to share with me.

We toured the village, past the ski jumps, the Épicerie du Praz, down the alleyway to the old stable that is now L’Étable des Lys with the easy familiarity of someone who loves where they work.

After squeezing out of my helmet and ski boots, we lunched at La Table de Mon Grand-Père, and the food was exactly what is demanded after a morning shredding high speed groomers and tentatively testing the off-piste of Courchevel…generous, local, hearty. By the time we finished I was already thinking about coming back with my bike. That feeling, I’ve come to understand, is the whole point.

The gondola from Le Praz deposits you at the edge of snow in Courchevel 1850 in just about seven minutes, part of the village transportation infrastructure in fact. Up top is what most people picture when they hear the name — and the altiport made famous from the 2025 Tour de France finish, designer boutiques, five-star addresses and discotheques perched above the snowline.

Below, however, is a real village, one that was here before the ski lifts, where schoolchildren walk down the streets in the morning and year-round residents keep gardens and shop locally. Le Praz is where Courchevel’s roots are, and not coincidentally, where the Pinturault family story is alive.

The Pinturaults arrived in Courchevel in 1961, when the ski area was still finding itself. Christiane and André had the pioneering sense to build their hotel Annapurna in 1974, and it has held the highest address in the resort ever since, awarded a Michelin Key, and also ski-in/ski-out onto the Pralong lift. In 2022, the family extended their reach down the mountain to acquire Hôtel Les Peupliers in Le Praz, a historic property that has changed hands only twice in nearly a century. Together along with three private chalets in the forest above Le Praz, and a collection of restaurants across these villages, La Maison Pinturault now spans the full vertical and cultural range of the resort, from the summit to the valley floor, in a way that mirrors the family’s own breadth of connection to this place.

This is not a hospitality brand that materialized from a business plan; it is a family that has been skiing, cooking, farming, and hosting on this mountain for more than 60 years.

The Mountain They Know

If you are the kind of skier for whom Les 3 Vallées is not an aspiration but a pilgrimage, you already know what this terrain means. Six hundred kilometers of linked slopes connecting Courchevel, Méribel, Val Thorens, Saint-Martin-de-Belleville, Les Menuires, Brides-les-Bains, and Orelle — the largest ski area in the world, with 150 kilometers in Courchevel alone. The Annapurna sits directly on the slopes with access to a beginners’ area right out the door, so families with mixed abilities can all get on the hill without a production. For stronger skiers, the demanding summits and the full Les 3 Vallées circuit are a lift ride away.

The Pinturaults did not simply set up shop at the entrance to all of this, they grew up in it, which is why Alexis Pinturault’s story feels less like a footnote to the family hospitality business and more like its spiritual center. Three-time World Champion and three-time Olympic medalist: two bronzes in the giant slalom, a silver in combined. Five small crystal globes and the large one, the overall World Cup title, which only Jean-Claude Killy and Luc Alphand had won before him in French skiing history. The most decorated alpine ski racer France has ever produced, he learned to ski on these slopes, coming back to these mountains at the end of every season, and is now building his post-racing life here with his wife Romane. Their daughter Olympe arrived last year, the fourth generation.

His trophies line the walls of La Table de Mon Grand-Père in Le Praz…a genuine record of a life lived thoroughly on this mountain. He and Romane are expected to take over the Courchevel Le Praz properties when his racing career winds down. The Chalets Altaï (three eco-designed private chalets in the forest above Le Praz) were built in 2023 in part through his involvement. When serious skiers sit down to dinner in Le Praz and look at those trophies, they know exactly what they mean.

His sister Sandra runs the collection. She joined the Annapurna in 2013, starting as a receptionist, working through reception management and accommodations before taking over the hotel in 2019. By 2022 she had created three restaurants, including the gastronomic Alpage, which earned a Michelin star in its first season, as well as the Écotable label’s highest three-star distinction for sustainable gastronomy. Sandra is a passionate equestrian and art collector, and those sensibilities show throughout the Annapurna, fine art photography on the walls, street art she champions, room renovations in light oak and natural wool that feel intended for those who spend their summers outdoors. Since December 2023 she has helmed the full La Maison Pinturault Collection across both villages.

Le Praz: The Village First

Arriving in Courchevel, you’ll first discover Le Praz village at 1,300 meters, at the edge of the forest at Lac du Praz, facing the 1992 Olympic ski jump complex. The streets are narrow, the buildings representative of southern France, with local residents here who are not on vacation. The gondola to 1850 runs regularly to ensure a connection to the slopes above and easy access to the sport; but the pace and feeling are entirely different.

Hôtel Les Peupliers seems to anchor the village. Built by the Blanc family in 1930, taken over by the Gacon family in 1980, and purchased by the Pinturaults in 2022, only the third family to own it in nearly a century. It’s a four-star property that wears its history comfortably: a lakefront address with a south-facing terrace and the feel of a house that has always belonged to the same person. It features 18 rooms and suites in the main building, finished in stone and wood with Savoyard motifs and views of the village and lake. Across the street, a 14-room annex called La Maison sits just meters from Lac du Praz. General Manager Julien Chamoux has been here since 2023, a family friend and former Accor and Cimalpes veteran who chose Le Praz for its own sake: “the family atmosphere and the village life all year-round, where schoolchildren pass skiers in the morning.”

La Table de Mon Grand-Père is where Le Praz’s culinary soul lives. The kitchen is run by Chef Maxime Bertholle under the direction of Jean-Rémi Caillon — local, seasonal, quintessential French. Caillon describes it simply: “We dine as we gather after a day outdoors, with fresh cheeks, open hearts and hearty appetites. A mountain on a human scale.” Seasonal stews, matured cuts of beef, freshwater fish, vegetables from local growers, Trufflifette and Crozotto. Get the sharing menu. (Live music runs every first Thursday of the month.)

Tucked down a charming village alleyway, L’Étable des Lys occupies a former village stable under stone vaults decorated with old wood. Although it was closed for a private event that evening, I was told cheeses selected by Bernard Mure-Ravaud, a Meilleur Ouvrier de France, drawn from nearby farms — potchon, matouille — in a setting Caillon describes with obvious affection: “You enter as if in a friend’s house. The wood creaks, the embers crackle, and the cheese warms you.” Out front, the Kiosque does crêpes, waffles, and mulled wine. L’Épicerie du Praz, opposite the hotel and curated by grocer Thierry, stocks the same products used across La Maison’s kitchens…bread from La Marmottine, Savoyard charcuterie, fine wines, crozets, specialty coffees, plus signature items like the artisanal La Mousse du Chef beer (which I enjoyed thoroughly) and the La Maison Pinturault house coffee (which I also enjoyed upon my sad return to the United States). Their gourmet events series, Les Rencontres Gourmandes, is in its second season, bringing winemakers, cheesemakers, growers, and chocolatiers in for evenings that feel more like village life than programming.

Into the Forest: Chalets Altaï

Hidden at the end of a small alleyway leading into the forest above Le Praz, the three Chalets Altaï were completed in 2023, built by Sandra and Alexis as a statement about what responsible alpine architecture can look like. Named for a Eurasian mountain range spanning Russia, Mongolia, China, and Kazakhstan, they were constructed with eco-responsible materials, wood heating, triple glazing, thermo-brushed local wood, natural wool and regional stone, and furnished with vintage designer pieces sourced through the Selency marketplace by Atelier Giffon. Every detail, from ski pole handles in the ski room to the carefully chosen books and dishes, feels like the work of people who use these spaces.

Chalet Beloukha runs 430 square meters, sleeps eight adults and four children across four double bedrooms and a children’s dormitory with its own slide, and is ski-in. Chalet Irbis (named for the snow leopard) is a five-bedroom retreat for ten, with hammam (Turkish bath), sauna, and herbal tea room. Chalet Khoton is the flagship: 506 square meters, five bedrooms, and a 120-square-meter spa with an indoor pool, Japanese baths, hammam, sauna, a Norwegian sauna, massage room running Estime & Sens treatments, and a gym. All three receive full Hôtel Les Peupliers hotel services: shuttles, daily housekeeping, breakfast, and concierge (and access to the Estime & Sens spa). I didn’t get to tour these properties but from what I can tell, I really want to go and live there, forever.

Hôtel Annapurna: The Summit

The Annapurna sits at 1850 between the Jardin Alpin and the altiport, ski-in/ski-out onto the Pralong lift and into Les 3 Vallées. Christiane and André Pinturault acquired the land in 1972 and opened the hotel two years later. Claude modernized it through the 1980s, adding suites, terraces, the heated outdoor pool, spa, and a seminar room. Sandra has continued that evolution since 2019, renovating rooms and restaurants through 2023 without disturbing what her grandparents built. What they built, was soul.

The building was designed on the heliotropic principle, oriented to chase the sun across its exposures so the panoramic views of La Saulire, La Grande Casse, and L’Aiguille du Fruit are never static, light moves through the giant bay windows differently depending on your floor and the hour. Luxury on a human scale, the Pinturaults call it, authentic, warm, without the coldness that high-end alpine addresses can carry.

This winter brings significant updates. Four Junior Suites and the flagship Everest Suite (145 square meters, a terrace facing the slopes, a private sauna) have been redesigned by Atelier Giffon in light oak, wool, and natural stone. “Every year we undertake hotel renovations,” Sandra said, “incorporating wood, stone and natural colors.” The 76 rooms and suites span five categories, from compact Vallée rooms to the named suites — Annapurna, Makalu, K2 — borrowing scale from the 8,000-meter peaks they’re named for.

The spa has been redesigned this season too: more spacious hammam, new jacuzzi facing the mountains, two saunas including one with panoramic views, both indoor 15-meter and outdoor pools, and Codage treatment rooms where custom serums are formulated on-site for each guest, along with yoga, Pilates, physiotherapy, and osteopathy. For families, La Banquise des Petits handles kids three to ten with an indoor polar-themed club and a Base Camp outdoor playground including a real igloo, 21-meter slide, and fishing module. A teen room and screening room handle the rest.

The ski service is dialed: heated individual lockers, ski valet, and shop on site. A fleet of hybrid Range Rovers handles village transport…40 years of refinement look like this.

The Kitchen at the Heart of It All

Jean-Rémi Caillon is the culinary thread running through every La Maison Pinturault address. A native of Roanne who has worked on the Côte d’Azur, in Paris, and at Lake Geneva, he carries Bocuse and Escoffier alongside lessons from his travels in Japan and a love of foraging for wild herbs.

“While meat and fish remain central to my cooking,” he says, “it is essential that we give vegetables their due, ensuring that they make up at least 50 percent of the plate at every meal.” That holds across every kitchen in the collection.

At Alpage (18 seats Wednesday through Sunday evenings, one Michelin star) five and seven-course menus pay tribute to the surrounding mountains through the artisans, market gardeners, and producers of the valley. The dining room feels like a distillation of the landscape: oak from Albertville, granite from the Mont Blanc massif, ceramics by Anne Marmottan, a soundscape by Le Couturier du Son. The three Écotable macarons — the label’s highest distinction — reflect Caillon and Sandra’s rigorous commitment to local sourcing and ecological responsibility.

Restaurant La Table de l’Annapurna, the Annapurna’s main dining room, serves generous traditional French cuisine with a sunny terrace at the edge of the slopes. Head sommelier Valentin Peyrard runs weekly winemaker dinners featuring producers from Champagne, Burgundy, the Loire, Bordeaux, the Savoie, and the Côtes du Rhône, older vintages and menus from Caillon’s kitchen, roughly three hours of genuine food-and-wine immersion. (Weekly tasting workshops for four to ten guests run at €40 per person.)

La Fèrma, the hotel’s 20-seat Savoyard specialist, is where you come for raclette and fondue while the snow falls outside — cheeses selected by Bernard Mure-Ravaud, a Meilleur Ouvrier de France. The bar, where Alain Péant has been making cocktails for 40 years and this season welcomes original creations from French mixologist Jérémy LeBlanche of New York’s Thyme Bar, is the kind of room where the evening extends without asking permission.

Courchevel celebrates its 80th anniversary this season. The resort hosted the women’s slalom World Cup in December 2025 and will host the men’s super-G and downhill in March 2026. The Alps may host the 2030 Olympics, with Courchevel in the running for events. These are indications of a mountain that matters to the world.

The Pinturaults have been part of that mountain since before most of its visitors were born. Their family motto — “le partage en héritage, sharing as heritage” — may sound cliche in English, but happens to be true. What La Maison Pinturault offers across the Annapurna at 1850 and the properties in Le Praz is not a curated lifestyle product, but three generations who live, ski, cook here, and have staked their family’s identity on this particular place and have been welcoming guests into that story for more than 50 years. The fourth generation arrived last year and the mountain isn’t going anywhere.

La Maison Pinturault: Hôtel Annapurna and restaurants open December 12 to April 12, 2026. Hôtel Les Peupliers and L’Épicerie du Praz open November 3 to April 19, 2026. Photos courtesy of the property.

–Author Aaron H. Bible is an award-winning travel and outdoors writer with more than 30 years experience covering the outdoor lifestyle industry. Follow him @DefinitelyWild.

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Urban recreation often centers on activities that are easy to access and low in cost, such as walking trails, cycling routes, and public parks. Fly fishing is rarely considered part of that mix. The Guide to Urban Fly Fishing, published by Chelsea Green, focuses on that absence and makes the case for city waters as legitimate places to fish.

The book presents urban fly fishing as an accessible and practical pursuit. It documents how rivers, streams, canals, and lakes within city limits support viable fisheries and active angling communities. These waters, shaped by more than a century of development, form distinct ecosystems that require anglers to adapt their approach rather than rely on traditional assumptions about where fly fishing belongs.

Tom Rosenbauer situates the book as a resource for a wide range of anglers: “Whether you are totally new to fly fishing or a seasoned trout angler eager to give your fly rod a workout without the need to drive for hours, this book will be your complete guide.” The statement reflects the book’s dual focus on accessibility and experience level.

Rather than reinforcing perceptions of fly fishing as exclusive or elite, the guide outlines why fishing close to home works. It emphasizes proximity, affordability, existing public access, and the presence of established urban fishing communities. It also explains why fly fishing, in particular, is effective in urban environments, where altered waterways and diverse species reward observation and versatility.

The book functions as both an introduction and a reframing. New anglers are offered a starting point that does not depend on remote destinations, while experienced anglers are encouraged to reconsider overlooked city waters. Practical instruction is combined with firsthand perspectives from urban anglers in cities including Los Angeles, Denver, Minneapolis, Boston, New York City, and Columbus.

The author, Marc Fryt, is a US Army veteran who began fly fishing during his military service as a helicopter pilot and operations officer. After leaving the Army and moving to Columbus, Ohio, he was introduced to urban fly fishing through local anglers and mentors. He is now an urban fly-fishing guide in Spokane, Washington, the state’s second-largest city. Fryt brings professional experience as a writer and photographer, with work published in The Drake, Flyfish Journal, Backcountry Journal, Fly Culture, Covers, Project Upland, Kayak Angler, and American Fly Fishing. For this book, he gathered perspectives from urban anglers across multiple cities, consulted experts in several fields, and conducted research using scientific studies and textbooks.

The Guide to Urban Fly Fishing goes on sale April 28, 2026.

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Just as they do on land in the Five Boroughs, the FDNY is there, safeguarding all of New York City’s waterways, ready to answer the call from their station in Brooklyn’s Navy Yard. Aiding them in their work is an impressive fleet of patrol and emergency response vehicles, tools, and even Mustang Survival Classic Flotation Bomber Jackets.  

Earlier this year, we were fortunate enough to spend a rainy winter day with them on Marine 6 patrolling the New York Harbor, and to get to know the ships, gear, and great people who keep NYC’s waterways free from harm for all of us. Thank you to the FDNY for having us and for all that you do to help ensure we can continue our urban explorations safely.

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In a way that was difficult to put into words when I spent three days hiding out here this past ski season, Sundance is as unique a ski area as you can imagine, a spot that feels as much like home as it does a private club, a small area if you look just at the numbers, but with ski-ability and soul and vistas that make it feel larger than life.

As these things are often more feelings than fact, Sundance resonated with me as not just a skier, but as an artist, an environmentalist, a foodie, an outdoorsman, and a human. It’s a place that, once you arrive, you simply want to stay. 

Sundance founder, legendary actor, director, author, and adventurer Robert Redford had that same visceral response when he laid eyes on this valley in the late 1950s, and he was fortunate enough to acquire a large swath of property, including the Timp Haven ski area, in 1969, which he called Sundance. Redford’s goal was to preserve a natural sanctuary for the arts, to preserve the land, and imbue a sense of reverence for the Native American (primarily Noohchew Ute, the Shoshone, Paiute, Goshute, and Navajo) peoples who inhabited this region, as it is their ancestral home. Although it’s less than an hour from Salt Lake City International Airport, and the closest ski area to the Salt Lake and Utah Valley as well as being the fourth oldest ski area in Utah, Sundance somehow feels removed from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.

According to the resort’s Field Guide that each overnight guest receives, Sundance is driven by a belief in the natural world and the land, a belief in the creative spirit, and a belief in coming together, gathering people for recreation and art, “united by nature and its call.” Additionally, the resort is powered entirely by renewable solar energy, generated in-state, powering the chairlifts, restaurants, lodging, and other facilities. “Here is physical and mental open space,” continues the Guide, “to explore, discover, relax, create, and find [or lose] yourself.” Rejecting advice from investors, Redford saw the land as an ideal spot for “environmental conservation and artistic experimentation.” In 1981 the Sundance Institute was founded, and writers, actors, directors, and artists have been inspired here. In 1997 he built the Art Studio, and at one point he thought every guest should be required to take an art lesson — a tradition that remains, although optional, it’s highly encouraged and complimentary. The Glassblower Studio transforms recycled glass into art pieces, vases, wine glasses, dinner plates, and pitchers used and sold throughout the resort. I also took full advantage of daily yoga, held in a peaceful yurt off the walking path by the creek. 

From a skier’s perspective, forget the stats for a moment and understand that Sundance leaves you wanting nothing. With one of the first mountain top lodges in the state, resting under the watchful eye of 11,600-foot Mount Timpinogas, it’s one of those small family-friendly resorts that skis way bigger than it is on the map, its charm rooted in both its seclusion and accessibility. And regardless of acreage or snowfall, Bishop’s Bowl and the adjoining Far East Chutes remain some of the best skiing in the state hands down; with plans to open an additional 300 acres of in-bounds terrain over the next two to three years. Sundance also boasts a year-round zip line (the highest, most expansive, and longest in the country), summertime access for mountain biking including miles of improved flow track, guided fishing on the Provo River, and more. For a small cost you can extend your season pass for mountain biking, and they’ve invested heavily into downhill and cross-country trails. Sundance Mountain Resort offers three options for riding—a season pass, the S-card, or daily lift tickets. 

It’s just different, magical, whether you are there for a ski day (hint: Sunday mornings are empty), a concert, a conference, or an anniversary dinner, you feel blessed, and also that there’s a bit of responsibility on each visitor to treat the land with respect, with a subtle nod to a simpler time. Redford envisioned careful growth of the property, of a place “committed to the balance of art, nature, and community.” I’m not sure there’s any other ski resort in the world that has something this simple and beautiful as its stated mission. 

With Mount Timp to the west (the second-highest peak in the Wasatch at 11,752 feet) and the North Fork Ridge to the northeast, the views from the famed Bearclaw Cabin are definitely some of the best of any of the 15 resorts in the state, overlooking 360-degrees of Heber and Utah Valley and the surrounding Wasatch. They’ve also got some of the top longevity amongst employees in the ski industry, and Mountain Maintenance Director Jerry Hill might just be the longest standing employee in the ski industry continuously at one resort, beginning his tenure in 1958. President and General Manager Chad Linebaugh isn’t too far behind him either, ringing in 30 years this summer. 

Linebaugh started as a breakfast waiter in 1994, at 22 years old. “Everything at Sundance starts from this authentic, independent spirit. Everything has to be real,” he began to explain over a beverage at the Owl Bar, once frequented by Butch Cassidy. “There’s a feeling of having the mountain to yourself…even if you’re not from here, you feel like it’s yours, it’s welcoming. It’s got all the terrain you want without any of the hassle.” I was captivated by his and other employee’s passion for this special, undiscovered, and off-the-radar resort. Redford himself documented some of this history and more in his book The Outlaw Trail, published as part of a National Geographic grant in 1978. The collections of Hollywood memorabilia, as well as Native American art and artifacts, are worth the trip alone. 

I skied the whole mountain with new friends and by myself, and with fresh snow coming in daily, I was far from bored, lapping the four modern lifts depending on what I felt like skiing on any particular lap, from steeps to glades to bumped out gullies and groomers. In fact, there were plenty of times I was fully tips up, totally stoked, and in awe of the views and the variety of terrain. Yet my cozy cabin was just a stone’s throw away, a lovely snowy path winding from the welcoming collection of cabins and modern buildings making up the base area, past the soaking pools, and up a short hill to my own little time machine back to a simpler era of skiing and taking in the natural environment around me. 

The Dining at Sundance is Second to None

The passion behind the dining scene at Sundance is just as contagious as the on-mountain enthusiasm, and it boasts one of only three four-star restaurants in Utah. In 1970, Redford built the first building at Sundance Mountain Resort which he called The Tree Room, a cabin constructed around a living tree. Discerning guests enjoy a softly illuminated fine dining atmosphere surrounded by artwork from Redford’s private collection. 

Chef Alex Azatt, Sundance Director of Culinary, and I chatted for a long time about the “sacred space of the dinner table.” He said his goal coming up had always been to work at Sundance, for the people, and his love of being able to serve people. This is truly localized eating, at one of the most historic and welcoming restaurants in the state, “the gather time,” he says, “the essence of being around the table.” And I felt that at both the Tree Room and the Foundry Grill.

For something nice but more laid back than the Tree Room, the Foundry offers the freshest foods cooked to order for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; and the slopeside Lookout is also open year-round for classic skier fare and bevies. The restored 1890s bar in the ultra low-key Owl Bar was moved from Thermopolis, Wyoming, to Sundance Mountain Resort in 1994. The Deli is also a small grocery store and coffee shop at the base, featuring a variety of made-to-order sandwiches, salads, house-made baked goods, smoothies, and coffees. Water comes from local mountain-fed springs and conservation is highly encouraged, with no single-use plastic water bottles on property. Also of note, they keep most employees on year-round, building even more loyalty and trust in the brand.

From July to August Sundance rolls out 1500-seat The Amphitheater, and the 22-year-running Bluebird Cafe Concert Series features some of Nashville’s best singer-songwriters and musicians, in partnership with the renowned Bluebird Cafe and an exclusive agreement with the state of Utah. Each show features three artists who sing and tell the stories behind their songs, five weekends in the summer and two in the winter.

“When you see something that is not right, and you have a voice, you should speak up. Silence is complicity” — Robert Redford (1936 – 2025)

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Founded in 2009, onX emerged as a pioneer in digital outdoor navigation when accurate GPS mapping for remote areas was still nascent technology. What began as a tool for hunters has evolved into the most trusted navigation platform for outdoor recreationists, with specialized apps serving hunters (onX Hunt), off-road enthusiasts (onX Offroad), and backcountry travelers (onX Backcountry). The company’s success stems from its deep understanding of off-the-beaten-path experiences and its commitment to both technological innovation and conservation advocacy.

Unlike generic mapping services that treat wilderness as empty space between roads, onX builds products specifically for people who venture beyond pavement. The platform provides detailed property boundaries, land ownership information, and activity-specific features that mainstream apps cannot match. This specialization has earned onX the trust of millions of users who depend on accurate navigation in remote areas where cell service disappears and wrong turns can have serious consequences.

onX’s influence extends beyond software development into public land advocacy. Since 2018, the company has contributed to securing and improving public land access through direct funding and legislative support, working with various partners to support key legislation with data analysis and research. This dual commitment to technology and conservation positions onX uniquely to address challenges like dispersed camping overcrowding—problems that require both innovative tools and deep understanding of outdoor recreation dynamics.

According to The Dyrt’s 2025 Camping Report, 81.1 million Americans camped in 2024—including 5.8 million first-timers—while 56.1% struggled to book sites due to full campgrounds, and more than half prefer vehicle-based camping with three out of four having camped in or next to their vehicles.

onX’s newly launched Dispersed Camping Layer represents the first comprehensive attempt to solve this problem through technology rather than restrictions. Launched May 19, 2025, this industry-first motorized dispersed camping feature maps nearly 140,000 miles of roads and trails across the US National Forest System where the practice is legally permitted, transforming how outdoor enthusiasts find and access remote camping opportunities while potentially alleviating pressure on the most popular sites.

The innovation addresses a fundamental information gap that has plagued dispersed camping for decades. Previously, campers faced two imperfect options: navigating bureaucratic Forest Service PDFs that list regulations without geographic context, or relying on user-generated apps that mark individual sites with questionable accuracy. Neither approach provided the comprehensive view necessary for informed decision-making, creating a system where campers often arrived at destinations without understanding legal boundaries or alternative options.

“Before this layer, campers would cobble together information without a clear picture of what was actually allowed or accessible, leading to overcrowding, environmental strain, and even closures in some cases,” explains Chris Cordes, onX’s Offroad Content Manager. The company developed the feature in consultation with land managers who specifically requested tools to help distribute camping pressure more evenly across available areas.

The technology’s approach differs significantly from existing solutions. Rather than pinpointing specific campsites—which tends to concentrate impact—the layer highlights entire road and trail corridors where camping is permitted. When toggled on, the layer displays these areas in bright yellow on users’ maps, and clicking on any road or trail reveals specific regulations for that area. This methodology encourages exploration of lesser-known areas while ensuring compliance with local rules that can vary dramatically between forest districts.

At launch, the Dispersed Camping Layer covers eleven western states: Washington, Oregon, California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. onX plans nationwide expansion later this summer and eventual inclusion of other federal lands beyond the Forest Service system. The feature is available to onX Offroad Premium and Elite subscribers, integrating dispersed camping information directly into the navigation tools these users already employ for off-road adventures.

The timing coincides with dispersed camping’s surge in popularity over the past five years. The practice appeals to campers seeking alternatives to crowded, reservation-required campgrounds, offering privacy, flexibility, and often spectacular settings. However, this growth has created management challenges as popular sites become overused while thousands of legal alternatives remain unknown to most recreationists.

The dispersed camping phenomenon reflects broader shifts in outdoor recreation preferences. Modern campers increasingly value authentic wilderness experiences over amenity-rich campgrounds, driving demand for remote locations that traditional reservation systems cannot accommodate. Simultaneously, social media has amplified awareness of specific “secret” spots, creating concentrated impact that contradicts dispersed camping’s original low-impact philosophy.

The Dispersed Camping Layer’s success will ultimately depend on user adoption and behavioral change. If campers embrace the tool’s comprehensive approach and explore the highlighted corridors rather than concentrating on previously known sites, it could significantly reduce environmental impact while expanding access to quality camping experiences. The technology provides land managers with a mechanism to communicate regulations clearly while encouraging responsible use of available resources.

For camping enthusiasts, the layer promises to restore some of dispersed camping’s original appeal—the possibility of finding solitude in spectacular settings without advance planning or fees. Rather than competing for limited spots at well-known locations, campers can explore entire networks of legal camping corridors, potentially discovering new favorite destinations while reducing their impact on overused areas.

The broader implications extend beyond camping convenience. As outdoor recreation continues growing and public lands face increasing pressure, technological solutions that improve information accessibility and encourage responsible use become essential tools for land management. onX’s approach suggests that private sector innovation, developed in partnership with government agencies, can address conservation challenges while enhancing user experiences.

Whether this technology can meaningfully reduce overcrowding at popular dispersed camping sites remains to be seen. Success will require not just accurate mapping but also cultural shifts among campers willing to venture beyond established favorites. If the layer achieves its intended effect, it could serve as a model for managing recreational pressure across other public land activities, from hiking trails to fishing access points.

The Dispersed Camping Layer represents more than technological advancement—it embodies a philosophy that better information leads to better outdoor experiences and environmental stewardship. As summer camping season approaches, this tool offers both seasoned dispersed campers and newcomers the opportunity to explore responsibly while potentially preserving the solitude that makes this type of camping valuable in the first place.

For more information on the Dispersed Camping Layer, visit onxmaps.com/offroad/app/features/dispersed-camping-maps

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For this installment, the crew and I set off to the White Mountains of New Hampshire to hike the wildly popular Pemigewasset Loop, known simply as the “Pemi Loop.”

This 30+ mile trail is famous for its rollercoaster ride ups and downs and the ability to conquer about 15 peaks, 8 of which are over 4,000 feet in elevation, with two of those (Mt Lafayette and Lincoln) clocking over 5,000 ft, for a total elevation gain of ~10,000 ft. All of which is doable within a couple of days of intense but rewarding hiking. Some of the locals and trail runners manage this feat in just one day!

For your struggles you are redeemed with ever shifting landscapes, and views of the of the Whites, including Mt Washington, the highest peak in the Northeast.

Perhaps more infamous than its views and elevation gains, however, is the quickly changing weather conditions in this region, which we both prepared for and experienced first hand.

We planned our trip over four days.

Day One was simply the drive. From NYC it is a bit of a trek, but there is a parking lot at the base of the trail and it is a short three mile hike to a campsite where you can stay for the night before starting in earnest the next day.

Day Two: Hoping to avoid crowds on trail and at the shelters, we opted to hike the Loop counterclockwise as opposed to the more popular clockwise route. This lead to a fairly grueling ascent up Mt Bond on the first day and a stacked day of miles before reaching our planned campsite for the evening. The day was certainly a challenge. It was hot and our legs were not yet warmed up and accustomed to the constant ups and downs, but it also gave us some of the most incredible vistas I’ve seen in the Northeast. Mt Bond in particular felt like a place that should only exist somewhere out West, and not a seven hour drive from New York City.

Day Three had promised rain and it delivered. We awoke early to a downpour with intense winds and hastily packed up camp, eating a wet breakfast before resigning ourselves to what would be a damp, grey hike across the most famous part of the trail: The Franconia Ridge Traverse. The traverse resides above the tree line and hits four of the 4,000 ft peaks: Mt Flume (4,328), Mt Liberty (4,459 ft), Mt Lincoln (5,089 ft), and Mt Lafayette (5,260 ft). Due to the exposure, wind gusts can easily exceed 60mph, with severe temperature drops and a high risk of lightning strikes during thunderstorms. Needless to say it’s not a place to be stuck in in-climate weather.

With no signs of the rain slowing, and fear of being exposed to thunder and lightning, we resigned to hike the nine mile traverse as quickly as possibly with no stops.

Due to the fog and rain, our path was hidden from us most of the trek. Visibility was about 100 feet if that, requiring us to stay close to each other, and also obscuring the seemingly endless onslaught of peaks from view until they were immediately before us. While this meant we missed out on the famous views on this part of the trail, it made for a unique and exhilarating experience all the same, if not also exhausting.

Eventually we made it to our next campsite, and were thankfully greeted by the sun and a chance relax and more importantly to dry out before our hike out the next day.

Day Four was much of the same. Less rain but just as much fog. Mountains became shadows in the clouds and the wind ripped through the peaks and valleys as we continued up and down with a final steep descent to the valley below. Thankfully, by this point most of the trip was behind us and we had a shorter hike out followed a refreshing dip in the Pemigewasset River before heading back to the city.

Some notes on the shelters: You will see this on any site about the Pemi Loop, but the camping shelters here are platforms: raised decks made of wood and built into the steep mountainside. Some of my ultralight companions struggled to pitch their pole-less tents on the structures. Even with my freestanding Big Agnes, I had to great creative with the rain fly and fight for space next to my fellow campers. Additionally, those accustomed to other Northeastern camping, and the mostly isolated lean-tos found in the Adirondacks and Greens might be surprised to find care takers at each shelter. A small fee is required to camp and each site is set up with an outhouse, bear box, and separate cooking area. Bring some cash, and don’t expect to have any fires once you’ve crossed the tree line. Lastly, there are sections of the Appalachian Trail that merge with the Pemi Loop and you can opt to stay at one of their sites as well. These must be reserved in advance, but offer bunks, cooked meals, and a great place to just stop and resupply while on trail.

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And wile the primary focus of the National Forest Foundation is on conservation and forest health — the NFF’s goal is truly to increase forest resiliency in order to allow for all Americans to experience and connect with National Forests, encouraging them to find a sense of stewardship to these lands. The NFF is a congressionally chartered nonprofit partner of the U.S. Forest Service.

National Forest Week is now an annual celebration of the National Forest System and all it has to offer, taking place the second week of July each year. This year’s theme is “Explore It All.”

Celebrated across the country, all Americans are invited to join the National Forest Foundation (NFF) in celebrating our spectacular public lands.

Founded in 1993, the NFF works on behalf of the American public to inspire personal and meaningful connections to our National Forests, arguably the centerpiece of America’s public lands.

They lead forest conservation efforts and promote responsible recreation on the 193 million acres of National Forests within U.S. borders, guided by the belief that National Forests and all that they offer are an American treasure vital to the health of local communities.

The organization — with help from its partners — has planted millions of trees, improved hundreds of miles of trails, enhanced forest resiliency, and reduced fire risk across the country.

How to celebrate National Forest Week

// Visit your local National Forest and go for a hike, go camping, go biking, and bring your dog!

// Submit photos to the National Forest Week Photo Contest and win cool prizes.

// Organize a forest clean up.

// Spend time being a good steward to your public lands – here’s a tool kit

// Recreate responsibly: protect yourself, the plant life and wildlife while having a good time.

By directly engaging Americans and leveraging private and public funding, the NFF improves forest health and American’s outdoor experiences. The NFF’s programs inform millions of Americans about the importance of these treasured landscapes. Each year, the NFF restores fish and wildlife habitat, plants trees in areas affected by fires, insects, and disease, improve recreational opportunities, and enables communities to steward their National Forests and Grasslands.

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To kick off the start of the spring backpacking season, I returned with some friends to tried and true Harriman State Park.

As I mentioned in my first entry last year, Harriman is a classic camping and backpacking destination for residents of New York City and the Tri-State Area (NY, NJ, CT). It’s just over an hour drive from the city and several of the trail heads are a short walk from multiple public transportation options.

For newbies, Harriman has plenty of short and easy day hikes or overnights, but the trails can get as challenging as you want them to be. With everything from fields of lush ferns to some very rocky terrain and steep scrambles, lakes in abundance, and mountain top views of the Hudson Valley with NYC in the distance, this local favorite truly has a lot to offer.

I explored both easy and difficult options in my first two hikes there this season as I shook the ice off of my winter legs and tried to get back in shape.

First up: the Ramapo – Dunderberg Trail. Along with some friends who were training for the New Jersey – Massachusetts section of the Appalachian Trail, we did this popular ~23 mile trail in its entirety as an overnight.

Starting in Tuxedo, NY, which you can access by train, this trail essentially cuts across the entire park. It covers a lot of the most popular sites, Smith Rock, Tom Jones, Bald Rocks, and gives you the option to break off to Bear Mountain as well. We pushed 15 miles the first day to get to a less crowded shelter, and allow for a shorter day 2, to go at a more relaxed pace and to stop and smell the freshly budding flowers.

Pro tip: at the end of the trail (if you began in Tuxedo), take a short cab ride to Peekskill Brewery for some post trail grub and cold beer and take the Metro-North back to Grand Central from the nearby station.

The second trip was considerably more relaxed.

My fiancé suffers from bad hips, so despite her love of camping and the outdoors, she is physically limited in her capacity and is more comfortable at a pace of about 6 miles a day. Luckily, Harriman can more than accommodate this while still being interesting and varied in its topography.

We chose a short, 10 mile loop that starts on the Blue Disc Trail and crosses over to the Ramapo – Dunderberg, as well as intersecting with couple of others along the way. There are several trail options at the start of this loop, which is only accessible by car, and it rewards you with some fantastic views just a few minutes in. The trail brings you up, around and down past multiple lakes where you can choose to stealth camp or take a quick dip (at your own risk of incurring a fine for both).

Word to the wise: if you choose to camp out near one of the lakes or the very popular Tom Jones shelter, expect crowds and noise as these are particularly close to parking areas and are frequented by partiers and those less interested in the “serenity” of the outdoors.

As you can tell by the photos, these hikes were in early spring. There was still a lot of brown, but flowers were just starting to bloom and you could see the grass beginning to push through the floor of dead leaves. Now entering summer, the park is lush and full of green. So go check it out for yourself – for the day, the weekend, or longer! And check back in soon for the next “Vanish: To…”

The post Vanish: To Harriman State Park, Spring 2021 appeared first on VANISH TODAY.

Here’s a crazy thought: what if we focused less on influencer driven marketing campaigns, and more on doing what scientists and doctors keep telling us to do?

If you’re looking for some magical snake oil to turn you into the guy from Limitless, this post isn’t for you. If you want to heighten cognitive function through a healthy blend of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, you may want to consider supplementing your daily diet with TruBrain.

What’s TruBrain?

TruBrain is like coffee, but better. It’s a daily nutritional supplement, suited to the needs of the modern workforce. Instead of getting you jacked up on absurd amounts of caffeine, like coffee and hype-brand energy drinks, TruBrain utilizes a balanced blend of natural ingredients to increase mental performance, without making you feel anxious and jittery.

TruBrain was designed by UCLA graduates Dr. Andrew Hill and Dr. Aida Attar, who have spent their lives studying the brainwaves of high achievers, and identifying the chemicals which best accelerate cognitive performance. Hill and Attar recognized the inherent flaws of a society who uses daily stimulants just to function. So they set out to create a superior morning beverage.

TruBrain’s unique blend of ingredients improves brain plasticity, by optimizing the flow of oxygen and glucose to your body’s control center. It combines active nootropics like L-Theanine, Uridine, Centrophenoxine, Noopept, with vital nutrients like Magnesium and Citicoline. Though their biochemical nomenclature may sound intimidating, these ingredients occur naturally in superfoods like asparagus, avocado, cane sugar, and green tea leaves.

How does it work?

TruBrain uses active nootropics and essential nutrients to supercharge cognitive function. Nootropics are an exciting new breed of dietary supplement, that are taking the world by storm. Active nootropics increase brain cell metabolism, and improve overall brain plasticity. Nootropics also heighten communication between neurons, by modulating your brain’s acetylcholine receptors.

In addition to the use of powerful nootropics, TruBrain includes a number of essential minerals and amino acids that are essential to the normal function of your brain, but deficient in most people’s diets. Magnesium and tyrosine further improve neurotransmission, while Carnitine helps neurons break down fatty acids, and Citicoline acts as a precursor to acetylcholine.

Is it safe?

TruBrain is 100% safe for use as directed. In fact, it actually has less toxicity than table salt or vitamin C.

How does it taste?

Tart and slightly fruity.

At Vanish, we love TruBrain’s rich, fruity taste almost as much as we love the heightened alertness we get from it’s morning use. TruBrain has become a staple for our office, and we can’t wait to see what they create next!

Learn More!

Don’t just take our word for it! We encourage you to read up on any supplement you’re considering adding to your dietary regimen. Below is a list of peer reviewed, scientific articles which tackle the cognitive enhancing properties of TruBrain’s ingredients.

“Enhancement of Learning and Memory by Elevating Brain Magnesium.” Inna Slutsky et al. Neuron, vol. 65, is. 2, 2010, pp. 165-177.

“The Effects of l-theanine on Alpha-Band Oscillatory Brain Activity During Visuo-Spatial Attention Task.” Manuel Gomez-Ramirez et al. Brain Topography, vol. 22, is. 1, 2009, pp. 44-51.

“Piracetam-induced improvement of mental performance. A controlled study on normally aging individuals.” P. Mindus et al. Acta Psychiatra Scandinavica, vol. 54, is. 2, 1976, pp. 150-160.

“Relationships between arousal and cognition-enhancing effects of oxiracetam.” A. Cavoy et al. Pharmacology, biochemistry, and behavior, vol. 47, is. 2, 1994, 283-287.

“Acetyl-l-carnitine improves aged brain function.” Satoru Kobayashi et al. Geriatrics Gerontology International, vol. 10, is. S1, 2010, pp.S99-S106.

“Working memory reloaded: tyrosine repletes updating in the N-back task.” Lorenza S. Colzato et al. Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience, vol. 7, 2013, pp. 200.

“Citicoline: A Food That May Improve Memory.” Pawel Grieb et al. Medical Science Review, vol. 2, 2015, pp. 67-72.

“Neuroprotective effect of novel cognitive enhancer noopept on AD-related cellular model involves the attenuation of apoptosis and tau hyperphosphorylation.” Rita U Ostrovskaya et al. Journal of Biomedical Science, vol. 21, 2014, pp. 74.

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